The Ringer

people who think this is a small minded movie and offensive need to get a life. This movie does not poke fun at disabilities, in fact it applauds those with special needs, the only character to be made to look stupid here is johnny Knoxville's character.

funny one liners, good acting and an all round entertaining comedy.

Just watch it u may be surprised, the plot isn't exactly brilliant the acting isn't Oscar winning but none of that matters, the film has heart and is very entertaining like most farrelly brothers movies with the exception of stuck on you.

well worth a watch

While I liked the movie, I liked the story and the cast...it was the supporting cast that was better than the lead Johnny Knoxville.

To me, his performance was weak, but maybe it was intended to be that way.

It's got funny moments but as some people states that it insults the handicapped - no, it does not.

This film honors not only the people in the special Olympics, but those that are with mental, physical or other types of handicaps and it doesn't show them as slow, stupid or unable to perform simple tasks or not cope in the real world.

It's a good film, that only loses it's place in the last two minutes of the entire movie.

This is far better than a Jim Carrey movie which insults handicapped people of all types.

A long time ago when I first saw the trailer for "The Ringer" my reaction to it was what the hell? Why would someone make a whole movie based on a "South Park" episode? Then the trailer for "The Ringer" disappeared for a while and then resurfaced completely re-edited. The new trailer for the film didn't really increase my interest in the film but out of curiosity (and the fact there really isn't much out I haven't seen) I decided to give the movie a chance and did so this afternoon.

"The Ringer" is about a guy named Steve (Johnny Knoxville) who has just gotten himself in a little bit of trouble and is in a bit of debt because he owes $25,000 to the local hospital. With no where else to go Steve turns to his uncle Gary (Brian Cox), who is also in debt because of a bad gambling problem. Gary soon comes up with the solution to both their problems, Gary wants to fix the Special Olympics and enter Steve as the special athlete in order to win the money to pay off both their debts. Funny and touching moments ensue…

Wow!!!! That's all I can say when I walked out of the theater this afternoon! This movie is probably one of the most poorly marketed and underrated films ever. The movie from its marketing makes you feel ashamed to even want to see it because it looks like it's about making fun of people who are "special" but guess what? The movie doesn't give off that vibe at all. In fact, it makes you actually view the mentally challenged as normal people. The movie is never mean when it comes to dealing with that topic in fact it's almost uplifting and inspirational. Holy crap! Who the heck would think that would be possible from looking at the trailer or reading the plot outline?

"The Ringer" is one of these movies that received mediocre reviews which I don't understand. Roger Ebert of all critics actually admitted to liking this movie which means the movie has to be pretty darn good because he's a very harsh critic. I don't understand how anyone can hate this movie. While it does contain some of Hollywood's most typical scenes, the movie has a ton of heart, a decent amount of laughs, and overall good performances especially for a comedy. This is one of those hidden surprises that we rarely get from Hollywood. Also a little side note, this movie was made with the help of the real Special Olympics so it's nice to know there is some reality that helps fuel the film.

The acting all around is really good. Johnny Knoxville plays his character Jeffy perfectly. Katherine Heigl plays Lynn the adorable counselor in charge of watching over the special athletes and her and Knoxville both have nice on screen chemistry. The best characters though are the mentally challenged athletes themselves especially Glen (Jed Rees) and Thomas (Bill Chott). Everyone did a fine job in making the film's performances funny and believable.

The screenwriter Ricky Blitt is best known for writing several episodes of one of my favorite TV shows "Family Guy." Who would have thought that someone who had such a creative mind to create crude and original jokes for an animated TV series would be able to create such a touching and funny script? Director Barry W. Blaustein did a good job capturing the heart felt moments and comedy. The whole "When did we get ice cream" scene was a classic among others. I think both guys did a good job with the film and I feel bad for both that this movie is doing better at the box office because this movie really does have potential.

In the end, "The Ringer" is a very enjoyable and unique comedy, one that makes you laugh with the characters and not at them. The writer and director as well as everyone involved make you look and think of mentally challenged people as normal people. When the movie tries to exhibit typical jokes like every time Steve falls down it fails as a comedy but when it's not trying so hard to be funny it really is and luckily that's the majority of the film. When you leave the theater after watching this film, you leave with a big smile on your face and almost feel a bit inspired. This film is sure to win the hearts of most and is truly a victim of bad marketing. I for one loved "The Ringer" and will be sure to buy it when it comes to DVD.

MovieManMenzel's final rating for "The Ringer" is an 8/10. Ignore the trailers and check it out!

Steve Barker (Johnny Knoxville) hates his job but after over two years of working, receives a promotion. His first duty is to fire his friend Stavi (Luis Ávalos), who is the janitor. Steve reluctantly does so, but hires him to work around his apartment. Stavi gets three fingers cut off in a lawn-mower accident, and reveals that he does not have health insurance. Steve must raise $28,000 within a few weeks to pay for the surgery to re-attach his friend's fingers. His sleazy uncle Gary (Brian Cox), owes $40,000 in gambling debts and suggests that they fix the Special Olympics in in order to solve both of their financial problems. Steve, who competed in track and field in high school as well as having acted in the drama club, reluctantly enters the Special Olympics in the guise of a high functioning young man with a developmental disability named Jeffy.

The Ringer took 7 years to get made due to studios being put off by its premise. The script gained more traction once it got the endorsement of the Special Olympics and executive producer Peter Farrelly is himself a volunteer with Best Buddies, an organization that provides mentorships to special needs persons, and has routinely included characters in his films such as There's Something About Mary and Stuck on You. The movie also serves a test vehicle for Johnny Knoxville's ability to carry a comedy outside of his Jackass wheelhouse (Dukes of Hazzard reboot aside) and the movie is actually a very funny and surprisingly sweet film that shows just how good a leading man Knoxville can be.

Despite a premise that could easily be turned towards the lowest common denominator, the movie does a good job of deriving humor from its premise without making itself a one joke affair. The Special Athletes who make up the supporting cast aren't defined solely by their disability and take a lot of pride and dignity in their training and goals. When the special athletes find out about Steve and Gary's scam they're understandably angered by it but when they find out why he did it they actually work with him to help while also playing to their own desires to take the arrogant champion, Jimmy Washington, down a peg by breaking his multi year streak. There's a lot of humanity on display in this movie that makes these characters three dimensional but still allows them to be both fun and funny.

Johnny Knoxville is very good playing Steve Barker who's a likable good natured slob who just wants to do right by his friend, and he showcases some really good comic energy and timing as he switches between himself and the persona he's created with Jeffy. Katherine Heigl plays Lynn, a volunteer with the Special Olympics who is also a love interest for Knoxville's character and she plays the character with sweetness and sincerity and has genuinely desire to help and foster persons with special needs due to her own experience with her brother. Brian Cox is despicably good as Steve's sleazy, lecherous, gambling uncle Gary, and the exchanges between Cox and Knoxville are incredibly well done with Knoxville reacting just perfectly to Gary's casual ableism.

The Ringer takes a subject that could've easily been played too safe or too lowbrow and finds the perfect balance for it. While not every joke lands, the ratio is more hits than misses and an assortment of likable characters who feel fully formed and not just punchline machines give the movie a level of sweetness and sincerity that's uncommon in this type of movie.

A typical modern-day comedy so some of its crudeness with sexual innuendos or remarks, but overall this is a full notch or two above most because underneath it is a soft, good- hearted feel to it. It's also a nice vehicle for a positive image to be presented for mentally- challenged people (formerl called "retards"). Those guys are as much of stars in this film as actors Johnny Knoxville and Katherine Heigl.

Knoxville plays the main character, "Steve Barker," a guy for (for good reasons, if that's possible) fakes being "handicapped" and enters The Special Olympics. He is hoping to win a big monetary prize to help pay for a friend's surgery and to help out his degenerate uncle who could be killed if he doesn't pay gamblers what he owes. Brian Cox plays "Uncle Gary." Both the man who needs the surgery ("Stavi," played by Luis Avalos) and Cox are hilarious in their roles, one being sympathetic and the other sleazy.

Along the way, Knoxville falls in love with Special Olympics worker "Lynn Sheridan" (Heigl). Hey, who wouldn't? This woman is unbelievably attractive and plays a good-hearted character.

Most of the funny lines in the movie are delivered by the Special Olympics athletes. Unrealistic? Yes, credibility is not high in that regard as as 99.9 percent of all the world's population would't be clever enough to deliver some of these lines but they are a hoot to hear. The fact you hear them uttered by "mentally-challenged" folks makes it even more outrageous and funny, of course. I can't remember how many times I just laughed out loud at something being said.

And, the film ends on a nigh note despite our hero being discovered as a fraud. The whole story is just a lot of a fun and is truly a feel-good film when it's all over. Highly recommended, but not for small kids because of the language.